2022 Kobal 'Bajta' Skin-Contact Belo Haloze Hills Štajerska Slovenia

Winemaker Notes: Cloudy and amber, Bajta Belo opens with Thanksgiving baking aromas – nutmeg, cinnamon and orange peel, but the palate is totally dry, with a tannic structure, chewy texture and a soft, relaxed finish. Serve it at 10C with mushroom dishes, casseroles, pork, chicken, turkey, pumpkin or squash soup and lobster mac and cheese. Hand-picked grapes went through extended maceration and natural barrel fermentation. All varieties were fermented separately with no added yeasts and seeing 48 days of skin maceration. Matured on lees in used barrique barrels for 2 years. The final blend was made in a stainless steel tank and bottled without fining or filtering. Laški Riesling (Welschreisling), Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc.

Kobal wines come from the Haloze appellation in Štajerska Slovenia. Since the Roman times, Haloze has been considered one of the top wine-growing sites in Central Europe. The soil of these steep slopes consists predominantly of marl, and the roots of vines that average 35 years old go deep into the ground to absorb minerality. Owner and winemaker, Bojan Kobal, is the true scientist of his craft. The amazing variety of styles of wines he produces shows that there is nothing he cannot do. The lineup of fresh Kobal whites is Bojan’s expression of Haloze fruit and varietal character. The Bajta wines are all fermented with natural yeasts only. From juicy and playful Pet Nats to the mature skin contact Belo – there is a delicious wine here for any occasion